


Its called being nice

by clecat



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, druids and nymphs, idk anything about them but theyre neat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:20:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24352741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clecat/pseuds/clecat
Summary: Ann is determined not to leave the girl that lives in the forest alone.
Relationships: Niijima Makoto/Takamaki Ann
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

She was like a wisp, too quick to catch, too swift to touch. It’s frustrating to be with her. When Ann talks to her, she leaves, when she doesn’t talk, she also leaves. Ann has never heard a word from her, never touched her, doesn’t hold any ties with her, yet she will not give up on her. She’s determined not to leave her alone, no one deserves undisrupted solitude.

She travels to the forest every day and only when the sun has risen above the horizon. It’s important to establish routine and whether the girl likes it or not, she’s fallen into the habit of Ann’s routine. The girl expects Ann to come to a specific spot at a specific time, subconsciously accepting Ann’s existence into her everyday life.

That was the first step, habit. The second step; acknowledgment.

Ann makes sure to smile to the girl when they meet, every single time, she smiles without missing a beat and tries to hold the girl’s eyes. The girl, predictably, always looks away quickly, leaving soon after. But Ann notices the little things, oh does she notice the little things, if she didn’t, she might have gone insane by now. She notices the tense posture her presence enacts disappearing over time, the seconds increasing day after day before the girl leaves, the willingness to hold eye contact becoming more likely. Progress is sweet and Ann will take whatever she can get.

Today is no different, Ann is in the forest, waiting, as the sun rises. She hums softy, a soothing melody she learnt from a siren and leans against a thick, old tree that’s humming with life.

This spot is not at random, nor is sitting near the tree is. The tree is quite important to her plan you see, as this particular tree is what started this mess, a message from fate she likes to think.

Ann is an explorer, never held down to one place but never alone, whether it would be the townspeople to keep her company or the spirits in the woods, Ann got around and she was quite well known.

A stealer of hearts is what she’s called. A phantom thief, known by all.

It’s quite peculiar, her branding, as there are a few other phantom thieves out there, but she’s never met any of them. They all just got put into one category, as they all shared the same striking talent.

The ability to make others fall in love with them unconditionally.

It’s not a learnt ability, nor is it really a talent. Ann calls it just being nice. But to others, being loved by all with no enemies is a feat few has achieved. She is known world-wide by making friends with important people but not by fear, or grand achievements. She is special as she knows a lot of people who are willing to die for her sake and in her name. Having an abundance of powerful people at your beckon is quite terrifying, more so than a lone bounty hunter who’s defeated hundreds.

The elders say that the end of the world will be met when all phantom thieves develop a feud between each other.

But that’s not the point right now, the point is, knowing a lot of people is very helpful, as she knows exactly where next to travel to as it was a wood nymph who told her about the tree that led her to meet the girl.

The nymph was gushing endlessly about this beautiful tree that she must travel to. It will fill her with life and endless joy. Ann tried to explain to her that she is not a wood nymph and does not gain energy from powerful trees, but she wouldn’t listen, “the tree will change your life,” she said.

Well, she wasn’t wrong.

She met the girl leaning against the tree, visible energy seeping into her presumably by its power.

Ann logically knew that wood nymphs gaining energy from trees was not just a metaphor, Ann knew that they physically get replenished by seeking the stored energy that could only come with an age of a tree, but she has never witnessed tangible evidence of this energy.

It was mesmerising.

Like a waterfall’s mist after a bushfire, but with an aura so refreshing that you could relate it to anything but the travesty of one.

The visible energy of a tree made Ann realise why wood nymphs and druids could become so devastatingly powerful without any inhumane sacrifices.

Alas, before Ann could properly process this mesmerising scene, the girl quickly noticed her and abruptly stopped the flow.

Ann was about to apologise, half because the girl looked at her like she had shot her entire family and half because she already missed the flow of energy, before the girl darted into the depths of the forest soundless and efficiently. The exchange so quick, that Ann was almost positive she imagined the girl.

But Ann was sure she could not conjure such a scene so lovely in her head, it must have been real, and she wanted to learn more.

Why was this girl different? She has never seen any druid seep energy out of a tree quite like this girl had and she has met a lot of druids.

So, Ann stayed. She waited day and night to see if the girl would return, meeting various nymphs during her stay.

She inquired about the mysterious girl to the nymphs, but they had no clue. A human seeping tangible energy from trees? Even the thought was simply absurd to them. Apparently, the trees do not give out their power so willingly, even the nymphs are lucky to get as much as they do. For a human who is as important as a speck of dirt to the trees to do that? There was no way.

If you truly believe what you saw, they told her, then that girl was no human.

Ann was even more curious by this knowledge and was not one known to give up. Her mind was made, she will uncover this mystery.

And so, the wait continued. Day after day Ann stayed near the forest and would venture to her spot at the tree as the sun rose.

The girl eventually did return, Ann stumbling to the scene of her seeping energy from the tree once again and of course, she left as quick as before. A mirror scene from the past but Ann gained important knowledge from it this time.

The girl came back even though she knew Ann saw her the first time, a girl as cautious as she seemed to be came back regardless of the threat Ann could hold.

There was no doubt about it, the girl was reliant to this particular tree.

Meaning she would come back again, perhaps daily, providing an opening for Ann to uncover the girl’s secrets.

And come back she did, day after day, until Ann wasn’t perceived as a threat anymore, until those jumpy eyes of the girl started to become more curious than frightened.

Was today the day? Ann wondered as the girl routinely walked up to the tree, but this time was met with eyes of visible frustration.

Was today the day she would finally get acknowledgment?

“did you like that song I was humming?” Ann asked, causing the girl to jump. “It’s about love and greed, one of my favourites.”

The girl stared at her; Ann smiled back. Minutes passed.

“…. why are you doing this?” the mysterious girl, who ran for weeks, who never made a sound, finally spoke into the silence.

“what? Humming? It’s quite relaxing isn’t it? Why do you ask? Do I have a bad voice?” Ann joked. A risky response, but too shocked by the girl actually responding to care.

The girl narrowed her eyes, so Ann smiled a bit more gently. “sorry,” she laughed, “I know it sounds unbelievable, but I really just want to get to know you.”

And that was the truth, at first Ann wanted to uncover the mystery, to see if this girl was truly no human. But her goal shifted as time passed, as she observed how guarded the girl was, how quiet, how unobtrusive she was. This girl has probably never had a friend in her life, and no one deserves to live like that.

Being alone, it’s foul, Ann runs from this fear daily.

The girl softened, shoulders relaxing, Ann didn’t dare break eye contact. “my name is Ann,” she started, “I’m an explorer.”

Silence.

Ann continued, “you don’t have to tell me your name,” she hummed, thinking, “just something to refer to so you’re not just called ‘the girl’ in my head.”

More silence, Ann watched the girl closely, she seemed to be debating something with herself, a small frown on her face, but quickly realised the eyes on her and looked sharply back at Ann.

“call me Johanna” the girl responded quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm making this shit up as i go, it probably ain't accurate to any type of mythology.


	2. Chapter 2

After Johanna finally told Ann her ‘name’, she became considerably less wary towards her. She didn’t talk much but was content on letting Ann blabber about anything and everything.

But to tell the truth, Ann was stumped. Johanna was still so guarded around her and Ann had no idea why.

Ann was not naive; she knew she was charming and she knew why she was branded a phantom thief. Consider herself cocky, but Ann was used to people falling over their feet for her after a few days.

She really didn’t know what to do now that someone wasn’t.

There was a gap between them and Johanna kept stepping back when Ann would step forward. 

She stared at Johanna curiously one day, for once not in the mood to endlessly talk to a brick wall. She realised that ever since their first meeting, Ann has not properly looked at the quiet girl, too busy trying to make her feel comfortable after noticing how she would fidget with eyes on her. 

Johanna had dark red eyes; Ann can’t believe she missed it, they were striking against her long eyelashes. Ann distantly remembers how red could symbolise war. 

Though war goes hand in hand with passion, depending on the reason. 

Said red eyes were darting nervously around the forest, no doubt already uncomfortable with Ann’s’ stare. 

She quirks a small smile when Johanna bravely decides to hold her eyes to ask a silent question. 

Well, Ann was not one known to hold her thoughts to herself, firmly believing more people need to hear the unfiltered observations that go through other’s heads. 

“your eyes are very beautiful,” she says. Johanna’s red eyes widen. “I have a friend who creates crystals through his hands, I always thought rubies were the most beautiful ones he would create.” Ann grins as she remembers, 

“he would only create rubies when he was sad and one day I asked him why, he told me that they gave him courage,” she holds Johanna’s eyes, “Red is a very powerful colour.”

Surprisingly, Johanna smiled down at the ground, hardly noticeable, but pretty, nonetheless. “I’ve gotten told that before,” she begins quietly, “though they-” she freezes when she glances up at Ann,

“they...?” Ann prompts, but she shakes her head. Ann nods and tries to mask her disappointment. 

One step at a time. 

She notices Johanna beginning to frown at the tilted silence and figures she should go back to blabbering like she always does, though she can’t seem to bring herself to do it, this moment somehow feels weighted. 

Instead Ann reaches into her backpack and pulls out a necklace, showcasing a piece of obsidian glittering from the beaming sun. “he gave this to me, though I can’t wear it since I’m only a human, it would just drain me instead of helping.” 

Johanna stares at the rock gently swaying from Ann’s hold. Ann continues, “it’s mainly for protection of the mind, sometimes from yourself.” She stares at Johanna, “I saw you drain energy from that tree, you’re powerful, I want you to have this.” 

Johanna immediately shakes her head. 

She sighs, “please, you don’t have to wear it, but I trust you to keep it in good hands.” The truth was that Ann hated to own such a powerful possession and not be able to use it, the crystal maker believed Ann could wear it one day and at this point It was just a reminder of Ann’s failure. 

Ann is not a somebody everyone seems to believe, she’s just an explorer with a pretty mouth. 

She chucks it to Johanna and hopes she didn’t see the self-deprecation in her expression but judging by the way Johanna just caught the possession and didn’t object, Ann takes a guess. 

Ann leans against the tree as Johanna sits against a rock a few feet away, quietly inspecting the necklace. They sit in comfortable silence before Johanna eventually disappears into the woods, though this time she gives Ann a small smile before leaving, Ann’s’ heart beats lowly in her chest and smiles back.

The next day Johanna was wearing the necklace. 

Ann looks at her softly, who in turn was awkwardly looking at the floor, “how is it?”

Johanna glances up, “not draining….” She clutches the rock almost subconsciously, “…it’s very soothing, thank you.” She softly mumbles.

Ann laughs, “good! Its supposed to be,” she stares at the glistening rock for a moment before making a decision and slowly walks up to Johanna to grasps the obsidian around her neck, “I’m glad it’s finally doing what its supposed to be doing.” Johanna tensed up immensely but didn’t move away. Ann stares at the rock between her fingers for a few more moments before letting it drop, “thank you” she said, barely audible and looks up at Johanna. Johanna holds her eyes seriously and nods, Ann’s heart beats loudly in her ears when she smiles back gently and moves away to give Johanna her space back.

Ann looks up at the sky and finally feels like she’s making progress, and when Johanna sits against the tree Ann has been leaning on, only an arm’s length away from her while Ann gently talks about every bit of limited knowledge she holds regarding crystals, Ann knows she’s definitely making progress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, i do not know anything about crystals and their individual properties, i am making this shit up as i go lol.


End file.
